Monmouth Regional will Hold Special Referendum for Voters in September to Approve $12 Million Building Project

Now that the Monmouth Regional Board of Education has gotten over the hurdle of getting the public to approve its budget in April for the upcoming year with a minimal amount of cuts, it now faces the challenge of financing the upkeep and improvements to its 50-year-old building.

According to Business Administrator Maria Parry, the district will hold a special referendum on Sept. 27 for voters to approve the purchase of a $12 million bond for a project that would include:

• the addition of solar paneling
• new gymnasium
• updated science classrooms
• removal of asbestos
• repointing of masonry
• renovated girls' locker room
• storage space for gym equipment
• storage space for band and audio-visual equipment
• renovation of two classrooms

Parry said that the timing for the bond purchase is ideal as the district is just finishing paying off a bond issued in 1996, which is coupled with low interest rates and a good market for construction projects.

The business administrator estimated that Tinton Falls residents would see an estimated additional $5 in the school portion of their annual tax bill if the referedum is approved; Eatontown and Shrewsbury Township tax payers would see their bill go up about $2 each annually.

A "big chunk" of the project would be to install solar paneling on the building to help generate income for the district, said Parry. She estimated that MRHS could raise about $200,000 annually in income through the solar paneling.

The current science classrooms "look old," noted Parry, who added that with the addition of a science portion to the annual HSPA testing, the district needs to upgrade their labs.

"We're competing with other school districts in the area," she said.